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The Twins announced that they have outrighted Julio DePaula, Oswaldo Sosa, Ryan Jorgensen and Sergio Santos to AAA Rochester. Also Pat Neshek was taken off of the 60 Day Disabled List. That leaves the Twins 40 man roster at 34.

“Outrighted” means that they were taken off of the 40 man roster, put on waivers, cleared waivers and the Twins were able to retain their services. That is never a negative thing.

DePaula had great minor league seasons in 2006 and 2007. He made his major league debut early in the 2007. Unfortunately, he was really horrible at Rochester in 2008.

Sosa surprises me somewhat. He had another option year left, so despite a terrible 2008 season in which he started at New Britain before heading back to Ft. Myers (where he was an All-Star in 2007) and he didn’t improve. He completely lost control. But he is still just 23 years old and could improve still.

Jorgensen was an easy choice. No one would have claimed him. The Twins need a #3 type of catcher for 2008. He’s not really a great option, but until they find out who else they could sign, there is no reason to drop him completely.

I am also a little surprised about Santos being unclaimed. The Twins claimed him in May and he did very little for the Red Wings. I still believe he has some potential due to his size as a shortstop, but he is already 25 and the Twins have several middle infield options.

The Twins have plenty of players that they need to add to their 40 man roster, players they would probably lose in the Rule V draft. They were able to get these four through waivers. I still think that they could drop a couple more. The offseason is such a fun time of year, isn’t it?

Moses needed to be protected last year and wasn’t but wasn’t drafted… wouldn’t be again. Same with Winfree. Hughes could have been taken the last couple of years. However, he will need to be added, or he would be lost.
They do need to protect Plouffe.
High school draft picks – 2004 – Plouffe, Waldrop, Rainville, Swarzak, Portes.
College picks – 2005 – Duensing, Mullins, Lis.
International players signed in 2004.

I don’ think I would protect Gomez, but not sure… with Breslow, Mijares, Perkins and Duensing around, no real reason to.

Gomez was not very impressive the 4 games I saw him play in this year, I don’t think he is anything special.
Hughes, Plouffe, Swarzak, Rainvill, Duensing, Lis and Mullins should all be protected IMO. Maybe Barrett and Waldrop as well. I’m suprised there isn’t more ‘names’ eligible for the draft, I really thought our depth was to the point that we would loose at least 2 solid kids this year.
How about Kelly or Tollefson? Tosoni, Bromberg or Burnett?

Why did you leave Tolleson off the 2005 college picks? It seems likely that he will be added to the roster. I also think its likely Lahey will be protected this year.

In the last player agreement, they added an extra year for eligibility in the rule 5 draft. That has really made a difference in how many players are eligible. The twins have a lot of depth, but most of those players don’t have to be added to the roster. If they hadn’t added that year all the players on that list would already be on the roster and there would be a similar list needing to be added.

I wonder about Hughes. I think he will be added to the roster, but I am not sure he is the kind of player teams target in the Rule 5 draft. He doesn’t really have a position.

Cuz I just did it off the top of my head. I’m sure I missed several more. I don’t see any reason to protect Lahey. What has he done since last year?

Hughes will definitely be added because he is the type of player that several teams would be interested in. He can play several positions and potentially hit for power. He’s not that old. He would be taken, I can almost guarantee that. He took huge strides this year.

Hughes, Tolleson, Swarzak, Plouffe, Duensing. Maybe Lis and Rainville. Probably not Waldrop based on his injury, although he was probably scouted in Instructs. I woudln’t protect Mullins.

My records show that Ramos was signed in 2004…but so much of the Latin data is grey. Same with Tosoni, he was drafted in 2005 and turned 19 that July. I suspect that he isn’t eligible for the Rule V draft, but, it could be a question.

Expect they will open up at least 3 more spots, thus be down to 31 with the ability to protect 7 or 8…leaving room for them to pick in the Rule V draft. I have indicated with a *, the six that I think are slam dunks.

I don’t see any reason to protect Lahey. What has he done since last year?

What has he done to get taken last year. Lahey is the kind of player teams take a chance on in the rule 5 draft and bring to spring training. If they don’t win a job, they aren’t out much.

He can play several positions

I think it would be more accurate to say Hughes has been tried at several different positions. Its not clear he can play any of them at an acceptable level in the major leagues. A team might take him in the draft, but I think it would be hard to keep him on the 25 player roster for a full season. He isn’t going to win any playing time with his defense. So you have to believe he is ready now to contribute at the major league level with his bat. I think that is a stretch. His upside is not high enough to justify wasting a major league roster spot for a season.

Same with Tosoni, he was drafted in 2005

Tosoni was drafted in 2004, so he is probably eligible for the rule 5 draft this year. He is certainly not ready to help at the major league level. But he may have enough upside for a team to take a chance on him. I think its likely the Twins will protect him.

It will be interesting to see if they protect Brandon Roberts. He is the sort of player that can be carried as a fourth outfielder for a year even if he isn’t ready to hit in the big leagues.

TT, Tosoni was drafted in 2004 and again in 2005. He didn’t sign until later and due to visa problems didn’t actually play until 2007. Normally, he would be eligible this year, but his situation is somewhat ambiguous, thus, he may not be eligible for the Rule V draft.

They’d be nuts not to protect Hughes. He may or may not be a great player, or even good one, but he might be their 3B of the present and future (might being the key word). I have no idea why you would not protect Hughes.

1) Because you don’t think there is much danger he would be taken in the Rule 5 draft. If you are convinced he won’t be taken, why WOULD you protect him.

2) Because you don’t want to use up his options and lose him on waivers if he doesn’t develop into a major league player for several more years.

3) Because you don’t want to use a roster spot and lose some other player who is more likely to be taken in the draft and kept on the other team’s 25 player roster for the entire season.

4) Because, looking ahead to spring training, you don’t want to expose other players to waivers in order to make room for players who win spots on the roster.

5) Because you don’t think it is much of a loss if he is taken in the rule 5 draft.

My guess is that there is enough uncertainty about number one that he will be protected. But I don’t agree that it is at all certain he would be taken if he weren’t protected. Its not clear he currently has any major league ready skills.

TT, that is a great list as far as how any player would be evaluated for a 40 man roster spot. It’s important to note that there are likely 10 spots that will be open when you subtract the four free agents, so that comes into play as well. But let’s look at Hughes specifically:
1.) Hughes would be taken.
2.) A player gets three option years. He’s already touched AAA. If they don’t think he will ever be ready, he won’t use up all three anyway.
3.) That is a big one, but again, Hughes would be taken and be on another roster all year, and since the Twins have up to 10 spots to fill, the guys they really would fear losing (Hughes likely being one of them) can still be kept.
4.) I guess I’m not sure about this one… guys like Humber and Bonser aren’t really affected at all by Luke Hughes.
5.) Hughes has a chance in spring training to make the Twins roster. I don’t think he will, but he has a chance. That alone makes him worthy of the roster spot.

It’d be interesting to evaluate others who could be taken in the Rule V draft on this criteria.

I think we disagree on our assessments of Hughes. If he is ready to compete for a spot on the Twins next spring, then you are right he needs to be protected. Some team would be willing to take a chance on him. But I don’t think he has any chance to make the Twins next spring. His defense isn’t there and neither is his bat. And even if his bat was ready, the Twins don’t need another player who doesn’t have a position.

As for options. Hughes would be out of options at age 26. That is not over the hill, especially for a power guy. Just look at David Ortiz.

I think you misread number 4. If a non-roster spring training invitee makes the 25 player roster, they will have to clear a spot on the 40 player roster if it is full.

Humber and Bonser are already on the 40 player roster and would need to clear waivers if they aren’t on the 25 player roster. That’s really a different issue and you are right, Hughes has nothing to do with it.

I think the 10 open spots makes the decision to protect Hughes easier.